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The women's weekly market was hit by an 8 per cent total drop in circulation in the first half the year falling to 7.5m, according to the latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulation.

The worst-performing title was the celebrity gossip magazine Heat, which fell 21.7 per cent to 326,677. IPC Media's Pick Me Up was down 18.1 per cent to 261,588 and Bauer Consumer Media's Closer fell 12.7 per cent to 459,693.

Despite the drop Closer publisher Nicky Holt said it continued to 'consistently deliver a strong newsstand performance", adding that 'Bauer remains totally focussed on delivering a high-quality product at full price".

Only one magazine managed to increase its sales in the first half of 2011 – IPC Media's Women's Weekly rose a modest 0.4 per cent 339,993. A spokesperson said the rise demonstrated "the longevity of the brand and the continued loyalty of its consumers. This year the brand has launched a number of partnerships with high profile brands including Thornton's and has bolstered its presence at live events across the UK."

Despite a 6.1 per cent slip in sales Bauer's Take A Break still dominates the market with sales of 803,555, well ahead of its nearest rival New! which dropped 10.7 per cent to 515,975.

A spokesperson for Bauer said: 'With new editor Rebecca Fleming now firmly at the helm, Take a Break continues to evolve its editorial proposition in line with readers' changing lifestyles."

Meirion Jones, Newsnight's former head of investigations, told Press Gazette in an interview - published this week - that he felt "everyone involved on the right side of the Savile argument has been forced out of the BBC".

The mother, Leanne Owens, complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation that the title had breached clauses one (accuracy), two (opportunity to reply) and five (intrusion into grief or shock) of the Editors' Code of Practice.

George Osborne has been challenged to reveal if he met or contacted Rupert Murdoch during a period which saw BBC funding cuts.
A deal was announced earlier this month to transfer the £650m-a-year bill for providing free television licences for the over 75s from the Exchequer to the BBC.
The Independent reported that sources have claimed a meeting took place between the Chancellor and News Corp boss Murdoch before the plan was revealed to BBC director general Lord Hall.

Coverage of businessman Edward Ware's activities by journalist John McAllister started as a legitimate exercise in public interest journalism, but could now no longer be justified as freedom of expression, said Judge Patrick Moloney QC, sitting in the High Court on 24 July.